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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 22nd, 2023–Dec 23rd, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Inland, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Wind slabs may have formed at higher elevations, approach ridgelines and mid slopes rollovers with caution.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported, we expect some natural avalanche activity may have occurred during the storm.

If you do go into the backcountry, consider submitting a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of storm snow has fallen over previously wind-affected surfaces at higher elevations.

Lower elevations received mostly rain and are likely to have moist snow or a surface crust.

Two different surface hoar layers have been reported in the upper snowpack (up to 40 cm deep) and appear to be most prominent at treeline and below. Snowpack depths at treeline are 50 to 100 cm.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with flurries, westerly winds 20-40 km/h. Freezing levels at valley bottom.

Saturday

Mainly cloudy with possible flurries, southerly winds 50 km/h. Freezing levels rise to 500 m, treeline temperature -5 °C.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy with southerly winds, 60-90 km/h. Freezing levels remain around 500 m. Treeline temperatures near -5 °C.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud with southerly winds, 60-80 km/h. Freezing levels rise towards 1000 m, treeline temperatures around -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.